Featured Roaster

I mean, the title says it all, doesn’t it? It’s no secret that we here at Fellow crush hard on some of our favorite coffee purveyors. And when, if not February, could be better to spill our hearts? We’re spellbound by the synthesis of time, relationships, heart, dedication, and skill these roasters have lovingly put into their craft, and we want to shout it to the world!

All month long we’ll be featuring coffee from the following heartthrobs:

BLIND TIGER COFFEE ROASTERSPhiladelphia, PA | Founded in 2013 by Charlie BiandoFun Fact: Charlie is also an accomplished breadmaker and offers his homemade bread at his coffee pop-ups.

“Finca Angamaza is located in Conganama, Loja, Ecuador and run by Angel Capa Carrion. The farm sits at an elevation of approximately 2,080 m.a.s.l. and consists of 19 hectares in total, 2 currently in coffee with plans to plant another 2 hectares. Of those 2 hectares currently in production, 25% are planted with Caturra, 10% Typica, 40% in San Salvador and 25% in Yellow Catimore. Upon arriving at the wet-mill, the coffee is fermented for 36 hours and after washing, the coffee is dried from anywhere between 8-10 days, depending on the weather conditions. Around that time, a local association of growers was formed to help market and find buyers for their coffees; they even brought in agronomists and technical assistance as offered by the local municipality. This was a huge factor in motivating Angel to produce higher quality coffees. He succeeded and is now receiving higher prices for his lots. for buyers who value and appreciate his efforts.” – @blindtigercoffee

“Romance Coffee is a limited release blend paying homage to the artists of the romance comics of the ’50s and ’60s. This sweet blend of Ethiopian coffee brings out a silky smooth body and flavors of strawberry that you can’t get enough of!” –@brandywinecoffeeroasters

GARDELLI SPECIALTY COFFEESForli, Italy | Founded in 2014 by Rubens GardelliFun Fact: Rubens is a consistent heavy-hitter in the Italian coffee competition scene and even placed 2nd in the World Brewers Cup in 2014!

“Competition leads to innovation and this coffee is the fruit of that labor. 2 and 1⁄2 years after his pioneering World Brewers Cup single tree lot, Rubens Gardelli is proud to present this unique coffee from Uganda. Forging close links with the farmer Alex and forming an export company with close friend Dison has allowed complete traceability and control from tree to cup. Originally a small competition lot, this project grew to encompass all of five small farmers production. A natural processed coffee, intensely sweet, with lots of dark chocolate and cherry — it’s a delicious and an amazing representative of Ugandan specialty coffee. The indigenous nyanzaland varietal and SL14 are grown at 1900 masl and processed using a proprietary natural method which is completely new and unique to Uganda. This coffee was presented for the first time by Rubens Gardelli during the 2017 Italy Brewers Cup and it was brewed by Michael Manhart, where they won first place!” – @gardellicoffees

“This is Heart’s second year purchasing Halo and we couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome it back. We received this sample and it was reminiscent of all the things we loved about this coffee in 2017 and we’re sure you all will love it too! It’s florally and sweetness can only be topped by the fact that it is such a wonderful contrast to other Ethiopian coffees on our menu. The Halo Bariti co-op was founded in 2012 by former members of the work co-op. Halo is located in the southern part of Ethiopia’s Gedeo Zone. This remote, wild, part of the country has been mostly untouched by modern development. Members of the Halo co-op bring coffee to the washing station from land as high as 7550 feet above sea level. This extremely high altitude produces some of the most amazing coffees in the world.” – @heartroasters

PASSION HOUSE COFFEE ROASTERSChicago, IL | Founded in 2011 by Joshua MillmanFun Fact: Besides specialty coffee, Joshua is also deeply passionate about music and attempts to weave this into operations at Passion House wherever he can. Sometimes he will let an employee create a playlist to accompany a particular coffee offering, and then sell it with a thumb drive of the music!

“Café Con Amor is a high-altitude farm in the mountains of Naranjo, Costa Rica. The volcanic soil is perfect for growing Caturra and Villa Sarchi varieties of specialty coffee. Growing under the shade of orange, mango, níspero, guaba, lemon, guayaba and sweet plantain, these tropical trees add rich organic material that transfer to the aroma, complexity and citrus notes of this amazing coffee. Café Con Amor is a high-altitude farm in the mountains of Costa Rica, grown in rich soil under the share of many tropical trees. The volcanic soil is perfect for growing Caturra and Villa Sarchi varieties of specialty coffee. Orange, mango, níspero, guaba, lemon, guayaba and sweet plantains add rich organic material that transfer to the aroma, complexity and rich notes of this specialty coffee. The final product is a clean cup with a smooth honey sweetness, citrus tones, and balanced acidity” – @passionhousecoffee

Since the beginning of the 20th century, caffeine lovers have been tinkering and tasting in the pursuit of making coffee completely soluble, delicious, and convenient. In other words, “instant.” Let’s admit it, the results have never really lived up to the real thing. At least, until now…

Ladies and gentlemen, this month at Fellow, we’re excited to share with you the crème de la crème of the latest and tastiest developments in the instant coffee game! For January, we’re offering coffee from some of our finest domestic roasteries, who not only bring us delicious beans but have also teamed up with the most innovative minds out there who have taken instant coffee to the next level.

Stop in and see how far instant coffee has come (or just grab your usually delicious bag of beans)!

“We love buying coffee at auctions – they’re fun, the producers get a great price, and we bring home delicious coffee for our customers. For example, we bought this coffee for about 500% over FairTrade prices, and for us it’s worth it (don’t worry, we won’t mark it up that high for you). This coffee was purchased from the El Salvador Chalate Best Cup Auction. Scoring in the Top 10, this coffee is a honey-processed Pacamara from Finca San Nicholas that is citrusy, sweet, and all around delicious. It has a little bit of complexity while being a coffee that we’d love to drink every morning.”

“We’re big fans of bringing out the chocolate and caramel in the coffees we source. And Limu Kosa is no different. In the specialty coffee world, Ethiopian beans are commonly roasted lightly and are known for and revered for the resulting bright acidity, strong floral and fruit notes and near tea-like consistency cups. We think these kinds of coffees and roasts are amazing—but it’s not the style of coffee we really love drinking every morning, black.

For that reason, we let Limu Kosa cook a little longer in the roaster, allowing its natural sugars to develop and caramelize. The result is a bean that carries that smooth chocolatey body we love about coffee, with super tasty expressive notes on top. As your cup of Limu cools, notice how the flavors develop over 20 minutes! We’ve tasted it evolve from caramel to peach to jasmine flower to honey. It’s really a beautiful coffee!”

“Rancho Sao Benedito is located in the rolling mountains of South Minas just outside the small rural town of Carmo de Minas. The region has quite recently become renowned for its award-winning quality, producing some of the finest lots Brazil has to offer. The farm as an average elevation of 1200 masl. The estate was found in 1954 and is now run by Marcio Heleo de Carcalho Junqueira, his three siblings and a team of 20 staff. Benedito has long been recognized for impeccable quality and has placed as a finalist in the Brazilian Cup of Excellence 7 times since 2002!”

“This year we have introduced the Kungu Maitu Estate line of coffees from single farms on which growers process their own coffee and control every variable that affects quality. The second farm in this year’s Kungu Maitu Estate lineup is the Wangera farm of Njeri Kagio. Njeri is 79 years old. She owns a car, but prefers to walking five kilometers to and from her farm each and every day. There, she roves up and down the steep hillsides pruning trees, spreading manure, applying nutrients, and picking and sorting coffee cherries. The trees, some of which Njeri planted more 50 years ago, are aligned in perfectly manicured rows. Their full, healthy boughs stand in such stark contrast to the neighboring farms that even a first-time visitor can immediately tell which trees belong to the Wangera farm. Her eighth of 10 children, Stephen Kagio, returned to the farm a few years ago to help his maitu introduce a few technological improvements and other small adjustments to produce truly spectacular coffee. We had the great good fortune to meet Stephen and Njeri last year, and are thrilled to introduce their coffee to our lineup. Her resilience and youthful spirit and his fine-tuning are both reflected inWangera’s coffee, which was good enough to earn the best newcomer award for the farm at our second annual Extraordinary Coffee Workshop in 2018. We have no reason to doubt that our new 79-year-old partner, her son, and their Wangera farm will continue to bring beautiful things into the world for years to come.”

Instant Coffee PairingPartner:Sudden Coffee in San Francisco, CAWhat: Single-origin beans brewed with a revolutionary secret method and then freeze-dried in small batchesHow: Add to 8 oz of hot or cold water and stirCoffee/Origin: Flecha Roja, Costa RicaProcess: WashedNotes: Citrus, Stone Fruit, and Molasses

“This is our second year purchasing and roasting coffees from the Pangoa Cooperative in the Junin region of Peru, which we visited for the first time last year with Aleco Chigounis of Red Fox Coffee Merchants. Aleco and his team have been doing more work in Peru than any other coffee importers, and investing in regions and producers that had been previously unknown in the specialty world. While the coop once had nearly 1,700 members, warfare in the 1980s and 1990s reduced that number drastically. It has now stabilized around 680-700 members, who are all producing some of the best coffee in the country. We appreciate the coffees coming from Pangoa for their clarity and unique sweetness. They tend to be more refreshing and light on their feet than coffees from other growing regions in Peru, and that holds true with this lot. We’re tasting refreshing white grape, with a marzipan sweetness, and floral rose character. It’s a really special, fresh, and delicious coffee.”

This time of the year is all about our many wonderful traditions and coming together to honor them. For December, we’re excited to announce we are honoring the age-old tradition of pairing coffee and chocolate by teaming up with our favorite Mission District neighbor, Dandelion Chocolate. Together we’ve come up with the ultimate combination of notes and flavor profiles to bring you and your loved ones the ultimate sweet treat this holiday season. Stop by the Playground all month long to give (or get!) the gift of delicious single-origin coffee and chocolates.

And now, for your palate’s pleasure, we present the featured line-up for “Together For The Holidays” Month:

…and, just like that, the holidays are upon us! Is it just us, or does it seem to sneak up on you every single November?! Caught off guard, it’s easy to want to take the path of least resistance; department stores, ordering online, going cheaper, faster, bigger… anything to relieve the stress of the season!

But this month, we would like to invite you to join us in slowing down to take the time to celebrate our very fine and very local purveyors of coffee! Why? Because in the spirit of supporting our hardworking neighbors, we’ve declared it Local Love month here at Fellow!

All November, our Featured Roasters Wall will be stocked full of delicious and carefully crafted coffee from:

“Coffee cultivation is a tradition in the Carlos family. He was always fascinated by the coffee production and dedicated his life to improve his abilities and knowledge to produce an even better cup of coffee. He has owned El Pomo estate for 30 years and lives there together with his wife and their seven children. Only one of his children shares his passion for coffee and Carlos believes that the family estate will stay healthy for the next generation. He is always seeking information and ways to enhance his knowledge, assisting with the training of the National Federation of Coffee Growers and also the Inconexus training about fertilization, fermentation, and water management.

His plans for next year are dependent on financial resources, and he hopes that all the hard work and dedication to growing coffee will bring his family a better income. He is also getting involved in the economic and social projects within the community. Alongside the coffee, he also grows banana and guamo trees.” – AKA Coffee (@enjoy_aka)

“There have been a number of political issues surrounding coffee from Nyeri because it is generally so prized. This Kenya coffee is comprised of a combination of many small farms with main Bourbon varietals SL28, SL24, and Ruiru 11. The altitudes range up to 2300 meters, and the coffee is fully washed before being sun-dried on traditional raised beds.” – Algorithm Coffee (@algorithmcoffeeco)

“Our O3 hails from a wet mill by the name of Kedamai, located in Oromia region, Jimma Zone Western Ethiopia. If this name sounds familiar, well that’s because you’ve heard it before! Kedamai Lot #5 is a 50% component of our current O2 Filter Blend. When we began working with Kata Maduga Cooperative Union last year, we were introduced to numerous incredible coffees out of Jimma, and it was very difficult to select which coffees to share with you.

As we cupped through all of Kata Maduga’s offerings, a few were immediate stand-outs; most notably Kedamai Lot #7. This coffee is beautifully floral and tea-like suited best for a single origin offering. Lot #7 particularly checked all the characteristics of what we look for when sourcing out of Jimma: clean, crisp, with bursting florals and mellow acidity.” – Coffee Manufactory (@coffeemanufactory)

“Red Bay Coffee was founded in 2014 by Keba Konte, a renowned local artist and successful food entrepreneur with 10 years experience in the specialty coffee and hospitality industry. Red Bay Coffee is building a global community through our commitment to sourcing, developing, roasting and delivering the best and most beautiful coffee to the people. Every day we strive to develop beautiful coffees, fair relations, and delicious approaches to living. We focus on creating opportunities within the community at large while fostering single origin, fair trade, direct trade, organic and sustainable coffees. We believe in the creation of a value chain emphasizing ethics and diversity, not just a supply and demand chain. We envision a world in which coffee is a vehicle for inclusion, social and economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and environmental sustainability.” – Red Bay Coffee Roasters (@redbaycoffee)

“Bernardino Aliaga has been growing coffee for 9 years in the Amor de Dios Colonia of Bolivia along with his wife Francisca Mamani Machaca and his children Ruben, Javier, and Vilma. Bernardino refers to his farm as “el paraiso del cafe” and it truly is a coffee paradise; Kevin even commented in his notebook upon visiting, “this farm is BLESSED for coffee!” Even with young trees and being a new farmer Bernardino won awards for his coffee in his first year of production. The farm enjoys ample altitude with a rich biodiversity of microorganisms ideal for organic coffee production.” – Saint Frank (@saintfrankcoffee)

One might argue that October is one of the more unusual months of the year. Days get darker, once-green trees seem to turn color overnight, brisk winds pick up, ghoulish Halloween decorations are hung in front of neighborhood homes, the chilly “sweater season” has us clinging to our hot coffees more than ever.

We thought – what better time of year to turn our attention to some of the more curious coffees out on the market?

This month at Fellow, we have combed through roasters’ offerings near and far to bring you some brews you definitely don’t see every day! From lesser-known origins to alternative processes, we hope we’ve piqued your curiosity into exploring some of these truly special and delicious Unusual Suspects with us.

Stop by Fellow and fill your trick-or-treat bag with one of these rare finds all month long!

“Emilio and his family have been growing coffee for six generations in the volcanic hills of El Salvador. He is the founder of Cuatro M farms, miller and exporter of 100% single origin coffee produced in the Apaneca-Illamatepec region. Their first washing station was installed at Finca Ayutepeque where each bean can be traced back to the lot it is grown in. In 2005, Cuatro M expanded operations to another family-owned farm, Finca El Manzano, in order to continue the legacy of processing family grown coffee as well as introduce an innovated state of the art mill. The new environment allowed them to experiment with different processing methods such as Natural and Pulped Natural, and receive additional coffees from neighboring farms.

We love to celebrate relationships and this project brings together two great ones: our producing partners in El Salvador, and Sokol Blosser Winery of Dayton, Oregon. We age the coffee in oak barrels that once held Sokol Blosser’s famous Pinot Noir, infusing this Central American’s rich chocolate palette with the poignant grape notes of great Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.” – Water Avenue Coffee Company (@wateravecoffee)

“Occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (which it shares, to the west, with Indonesia), Papua New Guinea is believed to have been inhabited for over 60,000 years. Discovered by Europeans, along with its Southeast Asian counterparts, during the spice race – first by the Spanish and Portuguese – Papua New Guinea would resist colonization until the late 19th century when it was settled in the North, by the Germans, and in the South, by the British. The British were no strangers to coffee at this point in time having already been cultivating the crop in Jamaica and, more recently, Kenya. Just like their Kenyan model, coffee (this time of the Jamaican-born “Blue Mountain” variety) was farmed on large estates, or plantations, to be sold and consumed in their nearby colony of Australia. Sero Bebes is the owner of a 34 hectare coffee farm that was first planted in 1968. Since 2010, he has also owned and operated the Bebes washing station in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea.” – Verve Coffee Roasters (@vervecoffee)

“This coffee comes from the Tarime district, which is one of six districts in the Mara Region of Tanzania. Bordered by the Maasai Mara game reserve, the Migori district of Kenya and the Mara River, this coffee is grown at 1800-2000 Meters. Ninety percent of the coffee producers in Tanzania are smallholder farmers, owning between 0.5 to 3 hectares. Like Kenya, coffee was brought to Tanzania in the late 1800s by French missionaries (mainly the bourbon varietal or SLs in Kenya) and was mostly planted around Kilimanjaro. In Tanzania, with its Indian influence, the Indian Kent varieties came from Mysore in the 1920s. This particular Tanzania coffee is a mix of the Bourbon and Kent varieties.” – JBC Coffee Roasters (@jbccoffeeroasters)

“This is a blend of pink, red, and yellow bourbon that was grown just west of Kailua in the lush Maunawili Valley, nestled between the Olomana Ridge and the large Ko’olau range. Of this triple colored bourbon variety, we’ve blended two different coffee processing methods together — natural and washed — to make a profile that our employees say tastes like dessert: chocolate brownies, cherries, dates, and fruitcake.

Besides producing an exotic array of coffee varieties designed to serve as a seed bank for local farmers, HARC performs important field research on Koa — an endemic hard-wood tree and keystone species in the native forests of Hawai’i — heirloom sugar cane, cacao, soil preservation, and more. Their coffee grows interspersed with this native hardwood, which provides extra nitrogen and shade to the coffee trees. We’re thrilled to share HARC’s specialty Oahu coffees, not only because they’re one-of-a-kind, but also because your purchase will fuel, support, fund and grow this horticulture crop research that gives back to Hawaii. ” – Big Island Coffee Roasters (@bigislandcoffeeroasters)

“Nuwa Estate Coffee was started in 2007 by Bandi Nima Sherpa Tenzing, one of the few female entrepreneurs in Nepal. Her vision was to create positive change in rural areas afflicted by poverty, lack of economic and educational opportunity, and human trafficking. She has been relentless in establishing Nuwa Estate Coffee as a premier specialty coffee producer.

Their coffee is shade grown using organic fertilizer. It’s meticulously picked, pulped, and wet processed before drying down to 10-12% on raised beds. It’s stored in a climate/humidity controlled warehouse, spread on parchment until hulled, then hand sorted twice to ensure that only the best beans are used.

Beyond superior farming, Nuwa is also committed to real progress for fellow coffee growers throughout the region, providing them with free coffee plants from their nursery and agricultural education. They’ve also created a non-profit, The Nepal Green Tara Foundation (NGTF), which has built over four schools in the area and continues to support operations by covering costs for supplies and teacher salaries. Both Nuwa and NGTF have provided disaster aid and relief by distributing food, supplies, and tarps to displaced families during the 2015 earthquake and the 2017 floods which devastated so much of Nepal. Nuwa represents an ideal partner for Bhavana and we are proud to work alongside them. ” – Bhavana Coffee (@bhavanacoffee)

Running a quality coffee roastery these days is no small feat! There’s the cost, of course, trying to keep prices reasonable and still pay for inventory, rent, employees, maintenance, and taxes. There’s the quality control and skill development required to actually deliver a good final product. There’s the pressure to stay relevant and make sure you are making a good brand for yourself (not to mention all the Instagramming). There’s the setbacks that come naturally with owning a business.

Now take all this, and throw giving back to the community in the mix? That’s truly impressive, to say the least! This month we are celebrating some of our favorite coffee roasters who have worked making the world a better place into the very fiber of their business models. From going completely solar, to fighting human trafficking, to giving ex-inmates a chance at a new start, to empowering the farming communities that grow the very coffee they use, these five businesses have truly gone above and beyond the call of duty.

Come join us in our appreciation for these real-life superheroes who not only provide us with delicious coffees but also think outside of the mug and truly make a difference in the world!

Cause: “Equator’s philosophy on coffee is built from a question: how do we create value from our perch in the coffee supply chain, standing at the intersection between local and distant coffee communities?

This question that continues to frame our narrative as we strive to grow a business that values the stakeholders in both communities with respect for the people, the process, and the product. Equator believes that quality underlies economic and environmental sustainability, and this is the pillar of our approach. We support environmentally sound certifications, as well as practices that produce the highest quality coffee while securing a dignified life for those who produce it.

In 2011, we formalized our commitment to sustainability by becoming a certified B Corporation, making Equator the first California coffee roaster to do so.”

Cause: “Every year we donate five percent of our profits to initiatives that strengthen rural communities. Our roastery is located in a tiny town in Wisconsin. It’s where we live and work and raise our families. Our coffee farmers are located in some of the most remote places on the planet, small villages in the highlands of Central and South America and in Africa. They’re our community, too.

In summer 2015, Kickapoo became one of the first coffee roasters in the world to take its power from an on-site solar array. With the exception of our vintage Probat G30 gas-powered roaster and winter heating, our entire roastery, offices and production floor are powered by an 80 panel, 25-Kilowatt solar array. Switching to solar power fits with our overall strategy and commitment to reduce our carbon footprint as well as our mission to be a farmer-focused company. Our producers are already feeling the impact of climate change. In addition to fluctuations in weather patterns and growing seasons, climate change exacerbates the spread of plant diseases like la Roya, a fungus that has become endemic in every coffee growing region in the world and threatens to change how and where coffee is produced.”

Cause: “We believe in a creative and approachable coffee experience. 3-19 Coffee Roasters seeks out relationships that will build upon our three passions – Coffee, Art, and Community. Before we sold a single bag of coffee – we spent a week in a rural coffee community in Honduras drawing, dancing and painting a wall mural celebrating culture and life. We’ve taken this concept of creating opportunities in art and building community through coffee to our home communities as well. Check out Lilac Alley in the Mission for a mural of a Guatemalan Quetzal drinking coffee – a result of supporting local SF-area artists!

Our goal is be the glue and the window to the coffee supply chain, with a unique twist on celebrating individuality and art. For us, this means we have strong relationships with coffee farmers, coffee drinkers and those communities. By valuing what is important to each, 3-19 hopes to build a strong community that encourages expression and doing good by others.”

Cause: “We believe everyone has second chances. Big House Beans Specialty Coffee Roasters not only sources and roasts the best coffees out there, but seeks to provide opportunities to anyone who has a vision for their future and a heart to work hard. We are a small business focused on true, equal opportunities. We hire, mentor and teach skills to the “least desirable” yet hard working women and men because why not?

Every person is different, but we all have a purpose. We believe in birthing potential through highlighting diversity. We source unique coffees to keep the spectrum wide, allowing each one to flourish in its own way. We believe that of people as well. That is why the main goal of Big House Beans is to empower individuals through unconditional love and opportunities. To caffeinate and embrace our community through every bag of coffee. From the bloom to the last sip.”

Cause: “St. Clare Coffee is a sister venture from Saint Frank Coffee in San Francisco and our mission is simple: pursue joy and quality of life through relationships in coffee. St. Clare fulfills this vision by engaging and empowering the potential of disconnected communities through coffee.

We diligently source and develop delicious coffees from remote and isolated communities from the Yungas of Bolivia to the Northern Highlands of Thailand. We work alongside the Not for Sale Campaign, a San Francisco-based non-profit that focuses on battling human trafficking and sex slavery in developing countries to not only provide financial support but to help provide survivors of sex trafficking a route to learning barista skills and becoming a functioning part of society. Moreover, we partner with global and local Bay Area groups for restoration and building opportunities. Choosing traceable and sustainable specialty coffee, St. Clare makes the world a better place, yet we can do more. It just starts with a cup of coffee, enjoy!”

Like wine, spirits, and many commodities, after it is harvested coffee undergoes varying degrees of process and management before it gets roasted and ends up in our hands. In a culture where cost and convenience have risen to the top of the priority pile, it is easy to overlook this crucial component of the brew we buy.

However these days, thanks to roasteries and businesses which tend to work more directly with coffee farms, value transparency, and champion the craft of production, we now have more understanding in what’s in our cup.

This month, we are excited to highlight the exciting and dynamic world of coffee processing! From fully-washed beans (common) to beans which have been left to dry on the tree (rare), we are offering a spectrum of delicious coffees which have been processed in a variety of ways, to give us the chance to see all the things this special bean can do. We hope you enjoy this delicious and unusual line-up as much as we do!

“This coffee is grown and hand-picked by the cooperative members that are all smallholder farmers. After picking the coffee with their family members and neighbors they deliver and sell the coffee cherries to the wet mill where the good coffee cherries are separated from the inferior ones by hand sorting before the coffee gets processed. Then the cherries are de-pulped by using a 4 disc Aagard disc pulper. The parchment coffee is dry fermented for 24 to 48 hours and rinsed with clean water midway through fermentation. Then the parchment is washed and graded before it gets soaked for up to 24 hours before drying. The clean coffee is dried on African elevated drying tables, partly covered with shade nets.” – Tim Wendelboe (@timwendelboe)

“The Sumatra Lintong Mutu Batak comes from selected producers surrounding the town of Lintongnihuta in the Provinsi Sumatera Utara (Northern Sumatra Province). This specific area is located on the southern shores of Lake Toba, which is the largest volcanic lake in the world. The soil around the southern part of the lake is volcanic which leads to exceptional terrain for growing coffee. The town of Lintong Nihuta sits on a plateau that ranges from 1000 meters with a few farms to around 1300 meters.

The producers of this coffee are small farmers who have been recognized by our staff to produce exceptional raw material. These selected farmers run small two to four-hectare plantations with each hectare consists of approximately 1,000 coffee trees. The farmer grows, harvests, and de-pulps the coffee on the farm. After de-pulping he stores the coffee overnight, allowing it to ferment and washes the following day. After washing the farmer will briefly dry the coffee to remove the moisture from the exterior of the parchment and delivers the coffee to the production facility.

After the coffee is dried to 12 to 13% moisture content in the greenhouses, the coffee will be delivered to the warehouse in Medan. It is inspected and graded again upon arrival to ensure no errors were made during processing. The coffee is then warehoused for 2 months. Then it goes through the final grading, hand sorted, bagged and ready for export. This coffee scored an impressive 94 points from Coffee Review.” – Klatch Coffee (@klatchroasting)

“Las Lajas began producing honey coffees in 2008 by necessity, after an earthquake temporarily cut off their access to water. The Chacons knew of natural processing techniques used in other countries and figured it was worth a shot to try in Costa Rica to avoid losing a bulk of their farm’s harvest.

Aside from being leaders in their field, the Chacons are very environmentally minded and are one of the only certified-organic mills in their area. Their preference to honey processing also enables them to cut back on water usage while processing coffees, as they don’t have to soak the beans as long as a fully washed coffee would require.” – Little Amps Coffee Roasters (@littleampscoffee)

“We have been so happy working with Ronaldo, Natalia, her Father, Jose Maria and the lovely folks of the Santa Luzia Farm. In this wild dried-on-the-tree lot, we are greeted with very fresh fruit, followed by sweet flavors of toffee-nougat, and a lovely chocolate note that rounds out really nicely with dried fruit qualities in the finish.” – Chromatic Coffee Co. (@chromaticcoffee)

“The Long Miles Coffee Project started in 2013, when Ben and Kristy built their first washing station, called Bukeye, at the base of Gaharo hill and is home to 921 plantations and 104,747 trees. This station processes coffee from four “hills” in the area: Gaharo, Ninga, Munuinya and Rugoma, keeping each unique lot separated. It also washes coffee from other surrounding hills including the Mutana Hill area. We are excited to offer Lot 39 from Long Miles Coffee Project, featuring their natural process. Mutana Hill has rich sweetness of tropical fruits balanced with light acidity and silky body.” – Black & White Coffee Roasters (@blackwhiteroasters)

As of June 2018, we know of nearly 2,000 individual coffee roasters in the United States alone! Not to mention the countless cafés and businesses that put that coffee into our sleepy hands every single day. We as Americans are truly blessed in our endless options toward our pursuit of the perfect cup of joe! This month at Fellow, in keeping with the spirit of our national holiday, we wanted to celebrate some of our country’s great purveyors of coffee from coast-to-coast. We invite you to enjoy these fine brews from:

Join us this month in reaping the fruits of our Caffeination Nation. Let’s hear it for the Red, White, and Brew!

STUMPTOWN COFFEE ROASTERSPortland, OR | Founded 1999 by Duane Sorenson

Fun Fact: Stumptown was one of the first specialty roasters to offer a wide variety of lighter roasted single origin coffees, as well as having a focus on educating its customers about coffee production. They currently have cafes in Portland, Seattle, LA, New York, New Orleans, and Chicago.

“Luis Pedro Zelaya is a fourth generation coffee producer and a leader in the Antigua coffee community. With a background in agronomy, he brings knowledge and innovation to all aspects of his practices. At his Bella Vista mill, Luis Pedro cultivates, processes, mills, and roasts his coffee, which he also serves at his two cafes in Antigua and Guatemala City. He focuses on pruning, tissue management, soil enrichment, and preventative methods for plant health. Coffee cherry comes in from his farms and is then depulped, fermented and washed, while being kept separate by lot and varietal. Luis Pedro uses a combination of patio drying, covered raised beds, and guardiolas; moisture is monitored closely.

Luis Pedro follows a regimented pruning schedule; he uses a three-row technique to renovate in a cadence that helps maintain consistent plant yields. Each year he prunes back a third of the plants on the farm, while the next third grows back, and the last third is at full cherry production. The technique prevents inconsistency in yields many farmers may experience.

For every bag of Bella Vista sold, Stumptown will donate $1 to a scholarship fund to send a Guatemalan student to EARTH University.” – Stumptown Coffee Roasters (@stumptowncoffee)

“Surf wax and coffee chaff…if the day involves both, it’s going to be a good one! It was this thought that led us to create Lord Windsor Coffee. Since 2012, we’ve been roasting the highest-grade, seasonally available coffee sourced from around the world. Along the way, we’ve made a name for ourselves, upped the caffeine intake in the great city of Long Beach and scored some great waves. To us, coffee isn’t just a product; it’s an experience that we casually take seriously.” – Lord Windsor Coffee (@lordwindsorcoffee)

“Kanzu washing station sits at 1900 meters in Nyamasheke, located in Southwestern Rwanda. The coffee grows in rich volcanic soil on rolling, steep hills that tower over the station reaching up to 2200 meters. The soil, high elevations, and cool climate are perfect for producing ripe, dense fruit. The washing station has poured resources into an improved infrastructure, training farmers on the best agronomic practices, and improving quality which shines through in the cup each season.” – Madcap Coffee Company (@madcapcoffee)

“Guji coffee has been receiving a lot of attention from the specialty coffee world in the past several years, and for good reason. Many privately owned washing stations have sprung up recently, in an area that has traditionally processed coffee using a natural (dry) method. The quality of these washed coffees can be outstanding, which isn’t surprising considering the area’s close proximity to Yirgacheffe. “Close” is relative speaking in terms of travel in Ethiopia, where 100 km can mean a 10 hour drive, but the variety of terrain and culture in that short distance is incredible.

Guji is an administrative zone of the Oromia region of Ethiopia, which gained political definition in 2002. Prior to that year, the Guji territory (named for the Guji tribe of the Oromo people) was a part of the Borena zone. Guji Zone shares a border with the Southern Nations, Nationalities & People’s Region (SNNP,) which includes Gedeo Zone (where Yirgacheffe is located) and Sidama Zone.” – Flat Track Coffee (@flattrackcoffee)

GEORGE HOWELL COFFEENewtonville, MA | Founded in 2012 by George Howell

Fun Fact: George Howell is a serious OG in the coffee world! He pioneered single origin offerings, lighter roasting, and thoughtful cafe experience- all approaches held in high esteem in today’s specialty coffee community!

“Yukro is a small farmer cooperative, established in 2010 in a zone that was, until then, strictly commercial quality. Members harvest coffee from the forest around them (this is the birthplace of Coffea Arabica) and from plantings. They carefully soak the ripe beans, after processing, to extract the maximum clarity of flavor. Yukro members harvest coffee from the forest and from plantings. TechnoServe, an NGO, is working directly with the Yukro Cooperative and other cooperatives in the region as a coordinator between agronomists and managers, as well as a business adviser to help the cooperatives manage their debts, re-invest in quality improvements at the mills, and verify distribution of income to all members. The achievements of the Ethiopian farmer communities with the assistance of TechnoServe seem monumental to me. From producers of run-of-mill commercial coffee of little worth they have catapulted to being the highest quality producers in Ethiopia” – George Howell Coffee (@ghowellcoffee)

To tell you why we at Fellow have decided June is “Design Month,” we first have to tell you about San Francisco Design Week! SF Design Week is an annual gathering of great minds and hands and eyes and imaginations to showcase the latest and greatest in design innovation from all over the world.

Over the last decade, packaging in the specialty coffee industry has become something of an art with the challenge of balancing form, functionality, and originality. Will it keep my coffee nice and fresh? Is it compostable? Informative? Does it look fly on my kitchen counter?

When we take these things into consideration, it’s easy to see why design is so integral and important to the way we experience almost everything in our daily lives from our shoes to our phones to our toothbrushes to our coffee.

To celebrate design with the rest of our city, we have carefully selected some of the finest examples of coffee packaging in the whole industry. We hope you’ll enjoy these gems!

TALOR&JØRGENOslo, Norway | Founded in 2015 by Talor Browne and Jørgen Hansrud

Fun Fact: Before Talor&Jørgen, Jørgen founded a start-up in 2014 called Epic Win Movement to empower young people to learn practical skills to facilitate their projects. Talor boasts a robust coffee career spanning from companies like St. Ali, Barista Hustle, Coutume, and Tim Wendelboe, as well as being a Q Grader.

“This coffee from Mahembe is unique in many ways. Justin the owner is unusual in his commitments to improving his operating and to processing some of the best coffees coming out of Rwanda. Mahembe is a privately owned washing station owned by Justin Musabyiama, who is also growing his own coffee trees. Justin has grown up in the local area and after moving away for some time, decided to come back home and invest in the community he was from by building a wet mill on his father’s coffee plantation.” – Talor&Jørgen (@talorjorgen)

“Girma Eshetu is an undeniably badass human being. We knew this before we met him, from the story of how he wound up living and farming in the region he is today, a story that starts in a beer brewery, takes us through a self-funded Masters in Mechanical Engineering, and ends in what Girma believes is his ancestral homeland – fittingly shared with the purported birthplace of coffee itself.

The spiel certainly sets you up to expect a dazzling dude. But meeting Girma sealed the deal – impeccably dressed in pink stripes and a Panama hat, with beer bottles as seeming extensions of his fingers. This is a man who takes tremendous pride in producing phenomenal coffee, and always keeps his sights on improvement. Before embarking on the several hour horseback ride to his Estate, we met at a washing station he constructed for processing community lots. Here, he enthusiastically flaunted his water filtration system by drinking the very water he’d be using to wash the coffee, cupping it in his hand and slurping it up with giddy pride. When we sip Girma’s coffee ourselves, it’s hard not to emulate that excitement. Characterized by vibrant, shimmering brightness and a refreshingly silky mouthfeel, this coffee is a treat anytime, but is perfectly suited for summer.” – City of Saints Coffee Roasters (@cityofsaintscoffee)

“Since 2005, the region of Santa Barbara and the small producers living and working there have shared the distinction as the place and the people producing exceptional coffee within Honduras. Our work and the beginning of the on-going relationships we’ve since established here began during the 2005 Cup of Excellence. We came to realize that there are exceptional producers from this small area. And since that inaugural year, we have purchased from over twenty different Santa Barbara producers.

Located in the village of Pena Blanca is coffee exporter San Vicente – the company that coordinates the coffee we buy from Santa Barbara. Over the past several years, one particular hillside has become the largest supplier of CoE winners in Honduras. The most successful farms with the smartest and most innovative farmers are neighbors on the hillsides of this region and they help each other to refine the best of their lots.” – Methodical Coffee Roasters (@methodicalcoffee)

“The Lamastus Family has being producing coffee in Elida Estate for four generations since 1918. Elida Estate coffees are produced under a unique world-ecological condition. It is shade-grown, bird friendly, and the farm is located at a very high elevation in a micro climate with very low temperatures. The coffee trees are surrounded by the Volcan Baru National Park, a virgin native cloudy rain forest.

At the turn of the century Kentucky born Robert Lamastus started an Arabica coffee plantation in a farm located at around 5,600 ft (1,700 m) above sea level in the skirts of the Baru Volcano in Boquete, Panama. At the time our grandfather processed and exported what is still today considered as one of the highest quality coffees in the world. Nowadays and three generations later, the tradition continues. The Lamastus family still produces, processes, exports, and now roast its own rare estate coffees.” – Brandywine Coffee Roasters (@brandywinecoffeeroasters)

“For the second year in a row, we are proud to present Suárez from the Cauca region of Colombia. We first came across this coffee at the best of Cauca competition two years ago. This year’s crop offers the same deep sweetness, and complexity as we remembered. With tasting notes of bruleed sugar, white grape, and birch beer, this coffee is one of those easy drinking sweet and enjoyable cups!” – Elixr Coffee Roasters (@elixrcoffee)

While these five eye-candy coffees have taken up residency on our Featured Roasters wall this month, that’s not the only SF Design Week fun Fellow is having. On June 15, the Fellow Store + Playground is along the route for SF Design Week’s Studio Crawl for Dogpatch, Mission, and Potrero. Grab your tickets before they sell out because…the first 70 people to visit Fellow will get a tote bag screen printed by an artist live at our event!

We all feel it. The days are getting longer, sleeves are getting shorter, and before we know it, dreams of summer travels have begun to materialize in our minds…

Hey, we’re right there with you! And to satiate our wanderlust we at Fellow have deemed May’s store theme: Bon Voyage! All this month you can visit us and enjoy a selection of coffees from roasters located in some of our favorite summer travel destinations. Come in and get swept away with brews from:

“An open sky awaits us after a few hours going through a cloudy forest… Nuyuku is where Cecilio’s lot is. He named his lot “At the foot of the mountain” in mixteco. Cecilio and Ines, who are proud to be from the Misty Mountains region, produce coffee of exceptional quality. Year after year we work together to apply more sustainability in the production of coffee and to create resilient crops.We have made achievements in coffee processing and drying, in soil nutrition and implemented organic fertilization. Cecilio is also producing corn right next to a garden that we planted two years ago, another step towards producing self-sustaining crops.” – Buna (@bunamx)

“Plum, citrus and caramelized sugar drive the unique flavor we love from Gaturiri. Coffee has been cultivated in the Nyeri district since 1958. Today, as many as 1200 farmers contribute their ripe coffee cherry to the Gaturiri Factory for processing. Part of the Barichu Cooperative Society in Central Kenya, the society has four washing stations: Karatina, Gatomboya, Karindundu and Gaturiri. Mary, the cooperative’s full-time agronomist, uses a designated block of 1,500 plants for group training sessions with participating farmers. ” – Parlor Coffee Roasters (@parlorcoffee)

Flight Time: 9 hours and 15 minutes from FellowFun Fact: Sakao dominates the Tokyo coffee scene, operating four beautiful cafes. “Onibus” is actually Portuguese for “Public Bus.” which is to say it is for everyone.

“Nyarusiza Washing Station, which is run by Buf Coffee, produces high-quality coffee. It also works on improving treatment of workers and donates its income to medical, educational, and social infrastructure.” – Onibus Coffee (@onibuscoffee)

“Located in southern Ethiopia, the highlands of the Sidamo region are home to the plots of this Ethiopian crop grown under permanent, protective shade. The volcanic lands of the African rift give it its special character. Lively and fruity, this coffee has a beautiful freshness and an exceptional aromatic persistence!” – L’Alchimiste (@lachimiste_torrefacteur)

“Sitio Sertãozinho is managed by Paulo Ribeiro Rocha, his daughters and sons-in-law. Working with specialty coffee has given his family a better life! The farm is located near the city Cristina, in the south of Minas Gerais, in Serra da Mantiqueira region. With mountainous topography, and has a differentiated climate and soils favorable for producing specialty coffee.This farm was acquired with an inheritance from Rocha’s parents, and he began coffee cultivation 40 years ago – from the start he focused on quality coffee. He is dedicated to growing coffee sustainably, preserving the environment and are members of the ASCARIVE Fair Trade Association. Rocho and his family are passionate about preserving springs and native forests on the farm, which shelter large plant species and native animals.” – Proud Mary Coffee Roasters (@proudmarycoffee)